Bedtime
by HandswithRoses
Summary: What stories will Ezra and his son share?
1. First Love

It was nearing eight and he still had to put his little boy down. Ezra Fitz was thirty-three years old and he married the love of his life, Aria Montgomery. They had an eight year old son named Rick and they were expecting another child in just a few months.

"Come on buddy, let's get you to bed" Ezra said. Rick groaned lightly, annoyed by the fact he couldn't stay up late. He had been overly happy today. A little bit more than normal, but it hadn't been a burden. Aria had to work late, because she taught evening classes as well, so the company had been more than a pleasure for Ezra. Ezra ruffled his hands through his son's dark brown curls in a joking manner. Rick had changed into his pajamas rather quick and was brushing his teeth now. He was humming to a song. A song he probably made up right that moment, because Ezra had never heard it before. He never made up a song or even hummed when he was brushing his teeth. He hadn't even known it was possible to both hum and brush.

"What got you so overly happy today?" Ezra asked. His curiosity got the better of him after watching his son for a little while. Rick spat the toothpaste out and he rinsed a little before leaving the bathroom.

"Nothing" He said almost chuckling when he passed Ezra.

"Oh right. Nothing" Ezra said while he followed his son to his bedroom. It was just across the hall. The room wasn't too big or too small. The bed was in the middle of the room. It was probably a little bit too big for an eight-year old, but Rick had a lot of plush animals collected on his bed, so he barely fit in his bed himself anymore.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me. Mommy isn't home, so I won't tell her if you don't want me to" Ezra tried again desperately wanting to know what was going on by now, because the kid was still smiling like an idiot. Normally, he whined about his bedtime or he was too tired to even whine about it. This time covered neither of these two options and that had never happened before.

"Okay. Only if you promise" He answered holding his favorite plush penguin closer to him.

"Your secret is safe with me" Ezra answered trying not to sound too enthusiastic.

"There is this girl…" He started unable to find the right words to say next.

"So we are having a real man-to-man talk here?" Ezra joked trying to make it a little bit easier for Rick to talk about his crush.

"Dad, don't interrupt me" He said chuckling a little bit. He rested his head against his pillow that stood up against the wall. Ezra took a place on the far end of the bed and he took his shoes off.

"Okay, I'm sorry, but please go on" He said still untying his black leather shoes.

"Her name is Sara and she is really pretty. She always has these long blonde braids and she always wears a really girly dress and" He said trying to continue, before Ezra interrupted him yet again.

"Rambling already? You're definitely my son, boy" He said chuckling at the many memories he had from when he was a little younger. After he first met Aria, he couldn't stop talking about her. Hardy went nuts. There had been multiple times where they went to a bar together and just talked. He just kept talking and talking and talking. After a few hours, Hardy literally fell asleep. And that didn't happen just once. He had to drag him home, because when Hardy slept, he slept and nothing could stop him from sleeping.

"Dad!" Rick said again a little bit annoyed by the fact his dad had interrupted him.

"I'm sorry. Go on" He simply stated trying to be a better listener.

"Well, she's in my class. Miss Jenny asked us to work in couples for this new assignment and we were the only ones left without a partner. We need to draw something we have learned from our parents and we will start tomorrow" He said the happiness in his voice more evident than ever.

"What will you draw?" Ezra asked with a happy and sincere smile. Something Rick had learned from his parents. That could be like, everything. Aria and Ezra had learned him to read and write. But they also taught him French, because they believed learning a second language at a young age had lots of benefits. There were also those other things like swimming, bicycling and ice skating. Ezra was the one to encourage his son to enjoy these sports as well. And now, their same son was in love or at least, that was how you could describe it.

"I haven't even thought about that yet" He said his smile decreasing a little bit, but it was still very much there.

"Sara might have an idea" Ezra stated after he thought for a little while with his son.

"Let's just hope she does" He said with yet another smile. It looked rather funny, because he was missing one of his tooth. He still looked very much like a copy of Ezra, but of course a mini-version. The thing Aria always said when she left her two men home alone; take care of mini. Afterwards, she would kiss both of their cheeks before leaving the house.

"How does it feel to be in love? You probably feel like a real man now" Ezra suggested after they had both been silent for a little while.

"I don't know how to describe it really. Guess my school isn't good enough to teach me the right words. How does it feel with you and Mommy?" He asked giggling a little bit after his own joke.

"I don't think there are words correct and valuable enough to describe how much I love your Mommy. My school probably wasn't that good either" He said stretching his legs a little before settling them on the bed.

"Daddy, will you tell me a story?" He asked taking his socks off of his feet. He curled his legs up and looked at his father with the widest eyes.

"Yeah, sure. Which story do you want me to tell?" Ezra answered his son, getting off of the bed to grab a book out of the small bookshelf in the corner of the room. They were all children's books. Fairytales, bedtime-stories and a few children's books for Rick to read.

"No, not one out of the books. I have already heard all of those at least ten times" He answered motioning for his father to sit back on the bed.

"Do you want me to make a story up?" Ezra suggested unsure of what his son wanted from him.

"No, I would like to hear a real story. One that really happened" He said still looking at his father with pleading eyes. This was one of his signature looks. The look always came around when he wanted something really badly. It had been there since he was little when he wanted attention or food.

"How about the story about my first love?" Ezra tried again. He pushed a few plush animals to the other side of the bed, so he could sit on their place properly.

"It probably doesn't have a happy ending, because it didn't last. Can you tell me about you and Mommy?" He asked coming a little bit closer to Ezra.

"You are much too young for that story, boy. It's a really complicated story" Ezra said not wanting to tell his son about his at first illegal relationship with his mother. It wasn't like he didn't want to tell him, but he just wanted to wait a little longer. Aria and he would tell their children the story together when they would understand.

"I want to hear now, Daddy. I can't wait that long. Please, Daddy. Please" He pleaded again. He came closer and closer to Ezra, most likely determined to hear the story. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He had to hear. Not tomorrow or next week or even in five years. Now.

"I can't tell you without Mommy, now can I?" He expressed trying to give his son a tolerable reason not to tell the story tonight.

"But I told you about Sara. It's only fair for you to tell your story. Please, Daddy" He said resting his small hand on his father's bicep.

"It's already getting late. Let's sleep, okay?" Ezra tried again, looking at the alarm on one of the shelves on the other side of the room.

"If you won't, I'll tell Mommy that you were the one who took that first piece of the cake last week" He said with a wicked smile on his face. This was the look he always had when he knew he had won.

"So you're blackmailing me now?" He said trying to contain his snicker.

"Exactly" He said, his smile growing even larger than it had been the whole day. This one looked almost creepy, because it was that broad.

"Okay. I'll tell you the story" Ezra finally said unable to keep his son waiting any longer.

"Finally!" Rick said crawling back to his beloved plush animals.


	2. Young Love

**Chapter 2 Young Love**

"Where do you want me to start?" Ezra asked after he made sure that Rick was settled and ready to hear the story.

"At the beginning of course. Where have you met Mommy?" He said still overly enjoyed with the fact that his father told him the story.

"We met at a bar, it's called Snookers. I'm pretty sure it's still there. Mommy and I might take you there when we visit your grandparents again" Ezra said, trying to lead this more into a story about Aria's parents than about his love life.

"Dad, you're heading in the wrong direction. Mommy, think about Mommy. Not about Grandma and Grandma. That is old news" He said probably taking up on the fact that he didn't really want to tell him the story. He was a smart kid for his age and he was sure he could handle a story like this. But he wasn't old enough to imagine that his parent's love life could be more difficult than Cinderella's.

"Okay, sorry. I met your mother at Snookers. She just came back from Iceland and she looked really lonely and tired. So I started a conversation with her and we found out that we had the same interests. Before that day I swear I didn't believe in love at first sight, but your Mommy well, she had a magic spell over me" He said blushing a little bit.

"What did you do after you met her?" Rick asked curious as hell.

"Well, before we left, we uh, well, we kissed in the ladies restroom" Ezra stuttered not really wanting to tell his son that part of their meeting, but also kind of wanting to tell every beautiful part of that first day. The day before everything got complicated.

"Dad! That is so gross. You were in a ladies restroom? I think so low of you right now" He said looking as serious as ever. He definitely wasn't kidding.

"Don't forget that I'm still your father, young man" Ezra said in a semi-sarcastic voice.

"Anyways, go on!" Rick quickly said, wanting to hear the rest of the story as fast as humanly possible.

"We exchanged phone numbers after and we both left for our own houses. That's how we met" Ezra simply stated now, because there wasn't that much more to that day.

"So what did you do after that?" Rick asked.

"I went home and I kept the widest smile on my face for the rest of the day, even though I lived in an apartment, alone. I couldn't sleep, because I constantly thought about her. That wasn't that good actually, because I started working at Rosewood Day the next day" He said happily, remembering that night like it was yesterday.

"So let me guess, the next day, you had a totally boring day at work and you met up with her afterwards?" Rick asked, his imagination taking the better of him again. That came from parents who loved writing. A child with the biggest imagination.

"Well, actually, it wasn't really that boring. Surprising would be a better choice" He said taking a look around the light blue room. Aria had painted the room the light blue color. She thought it was a soothing color. A color that would let him sleep comfortably.

"I don't understand" He said when he noticed that Ezra hadn't said anything anymore for over twenty seconds.

"It was the very first period if I remember correctly. I wrote down my name on the blackboard when my students started walking in. And when I turned around this huge confusion and surprise rushed over me" He said looking at his son again. He stared into his son's eyes, trying to see if he got the hint and understood perfectly what he was trying to say.

"Did Mommy teach at Rosewood Day as well?" Rick asked unaware of the real situation.

"No, your mother was my student" He stated quietly, but still audible.

"Okay" Rick said unsure of what to say next. He had no idea what the law said was legal yes or no, but Ezra could feel that he had an idea. Almost like he could read his father's mind.

"It's not really okay. It is illegal, so I ended it that same day after school" He said looking down at his feet. That day wasn't one of the best out of their relationship, but at that moment, it had felt right for him. He couldn't be the one to give the school board a reason to fire him on the very first day of his career already.

"How could you do that, Daddy?" Rick asked unable to look at his father, folding his arms over one another. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. His father had ended his relationship with his mother already on the second day they had known each other.

"It had felt good, then. I guess" Ezra said unsure what he would say, because he knew it upset his little boy a little that he had given up on Aria that easily.

"Go on, because I don't like this part of the story" He said firmly not even trying to cover his real emotions about the situation then.

"After a few days of avoiding each other, there was this funeral. The funeral of Alison DiLaurentis. Mommy has told you about her, right?" Ezra asked. Rick just nodded, because he had his thumb in his mouth now. This was a habit he had developed when he was still a little baby. It meant that he was tired, but he didn't want to fall asleep yet. There was also always the possibility that he was sick, because the thumb disappeared into his mouth then as well.

"Well, I hated avoiding your mother. I hated not being able to talk to her whenever I wanted to. I hated being her teacher. So I kissed her again just before the funeral" He said locking eyes with his son. There were sparks of happiness evident in them. The sparks told him that he was happy by the fact that his father couldn't stay away from his mother.

"Dad, what is this with you and kissing Mommy in really inappropriate places?" He said in a really serious tone, but he couldn't contain his serious look for a very long time before he started laughing.

"I don't know" He said laughing with his son. They laughed for a good minute until they finally stopped. But when they looked at each other again, they couldn't help but laugh again. This had happened before. Mostly about something Aria had done or something she didn't do. Ezra and Rick shared those inside jokes together at those times. Most of the times she would just leave the room, because she thought they were acting annoying, but sometimes she would join them in their laughter.

"I guess I was much younger and less responsible back then. After we reunited, she wanted to transfer out of my class, because she said she couldn't control her emotions towards me. But the principal declined her offer, so she stayed in my class. We started this secret relationship together. We ordered take-out like we do when Mommy isn't home to cook for us, watched some movies and we told each other lots of stories about our lives" He said smiling at the many happy memories. Hiding in his apartment. Snuggling on the couch. Stealing kisses here and there.

"Did you meet Grandma and Grandpa as well?" Rick asked, because his mind was most likely full of questions he wanted to be answered.

"Who is the one interrupting now?" Ezra asked chuckling a little. He wanted to make a point, because he knew Rick loved these kinds of games they played. Who was right and who wasn't. When it was just the two of them, they played the game regularly. For some really odd reason, Rick always won. Ezra like some victory on his side now as well.

"But I'm the kid. Us kids are allowed to interrupt" He stated with a wide smile. Rick always wanted to be right and in some ways, he was. There was always something about his arguments that made you believe him. It was a gift. That was probably the reason why he always won the game. It wasn't really a game they talked about, but in their minds they knew they were playing.

"Anyways, they take part later in the story, but I did know them already. They just didn't know about Mommy and I" Ezra replied, answering his son's question just half.

"Okay, that's good" He stated before his thumb disappeared into his mouth again.

"So this one time, she left her phone in my apartment. It kept buzzing, so I opened it, because I thought it might have been an emergency. There was a text from Auntie Hanna. The text said something about Mommy and I. I got really angry at Mommy, because no one could know about our relationship, because your Mommy could get really hurt and I could be send to jail" He said, his last words coming out all at once. It almost sounded like he was still angry at Aria about it, when in fact he wasn't angry with her anymore at all. How could he still be angry about something that had happened years ago? Hanna was still joking about their relationship, but that didn't bother him anymore.

"What happened to Mommy? Please say you didn't break up with her again!" Rick asked, scared for his mother, because he didn't want her to get hurt. He never wanted anyone he knew to get hurt. Even though he was still a little kid, he always tried to make sure everyone was fine. This was another gift he had and Ezra was proud it was given to his son.

"Mommy cried for a really long time, because I left her. I didn't break up with her, but I just went to New York for a few weeks. Emotionally it sure felt like we broke up, but this time it hurt more than the first time, because my emotions for Mommy were much stronger" Ezra said sincerely, hoping Rick was at least a little satisfied with his answer. It wasn't like Ezra had wanted to be mad at Aria, she just hadn't left him any other choice.

"What happened when you came back?" Rick asked almost too scared to hear the answer.

"Mommy wasn't happy with me and she had another boyfriend" He stated plain and simple.

"What? Why would she do that? No, this can't be happening!" Rick said in a frustrated manner. He threw his fists in the air before his fingers flew through his hair. Not one piece of hair was in its right position by now, but it didn't really matter to neither of the men.

"Well, it did. But I wasn't willing to give up that easily. So I asked her to meet up with me. Eventually she forgave me and I forgave her. Afterwards, I kissed Mommy again and her so called boyfriend saw us. He was one of my students as well" He said folding his hands together. Rick yawned lightly, but Ezra knew that if he stopped now with telling the story, he would be upset.

"He didn't like that, did he?" Rick asked with a frightened face. His hands held onto his penguin just a little bit tighter, even if it was just for a little bit. Ezra couldn't blame him, because he was still a kid. Kids still had to learn a lot about relationships and love and that was frightening. They had been frightening to him as well when he was a little boy. Things you don't know yet, are mostly frightening, but there is also always that part of them that makes you curious about them, what they would mean or do.

"No, not at all. He threatened me for a few weeks. He wanted some better grades on his papers and tests, but I wouldn't give them. So eventually, he wanted to inform the school board. Actually, there is a really memorable part to those days" He said smiling like a three-year-old or in Rick's case eight-year-old.

"What could be good about that?" Rick asked confused, because he probably didn't really see the memorable part to something awful like that.

"Mommy told me she loved me for the very first time" He said reliving the moment time after time after time. Just like it was yesterday. How she had come to his apartment. How she took his scotch away from him. How she listened to him. How she played with his hair. All the things she did before she told him. Before she told him she loved him. Three simple words; I love you. They sounded like music to his ears he had never heard before. And after that first time, there were more of them to come, but he hadn't known that back then.

"But she tells you this like what, every single day? There's nothing special about that" Rick whined not really seeing the point his father was making. There it was again. Something Rick still had to learn. When somebody spoke those words, looking straight into the significant other's eyes, they mean it. Their whole soul is shown through their own eyes. They are vulnerable and exposed at this point, but they are willing to take this risk to tell the other person how they really feel. That is why that first time those words slip over your mouth, they are real.

"That's not the same. You can never forget those first's. The first time I kissed your Mommy. The first time she visited my apartment. The first time she confided me with one of her secrets. Even the first time I saw her cry. Those are important, don't forget that , son" Ezra said looking straight into Rick's eyes. He wanted to make sure that his message was clear to his son. This was a really important lesson to him about love and relationships. Even though he probably wouldn't remember them, Ezra wanted to do the best he could in advising his son with every struggle he had to endure.

"So that was a really big deal?" He said smiling lightly, because he still wasn't sure what it really meant to his father.

"Yes, it really meant a lot to me" Ezra spoke looking down at his hands. They were still folded together.

"Did you say it back?" Rick asked a little bit more curious now instead of slightly confused.

"No, I didn't. I wanted to, but she kissed me before I even had the chance" He answered.

"How could you do that? That isn't like a real man's behavior, now is it? Even I know that you are supposed to say it back!" Rick said proud and offended at the same time. Scared that his mother was upset with his dad for not saying it back.

"I told her a few days later" Ezra just said, because he didn't want his son to be disappointed in him.

"Oh" Rick mumbled before his thumb found his mouth once again.

"About your mother's boyfriend. He stole some answers for the upcoming tests, so he didn't get the chance to tell the school board. A few days later, your Mommy's babysitter came in town. She gave some lectures about her life at Rosewood Day and your Grandma thought that it would be nice for Simone and I to go out together. Little did she know that I was already dating your Mommy" Ezra said looking at his son for an approval to go on, but he just kept staring at him.

"So I couldn't tell her I was dating Mommy, so I went for coffee with Simone. Your Mommy wasn't too happy about it to say the least, because Simone didn't know that I was already seeing someone" He continued. In the meantime, he also tried to massage his feet, because they were a little sore from his standing all day. First he had had a few classes before picking Rick up from school and playing with him all day long. His feet knew what damage that could do.

"Two days later, there was this dance, I think for a charity, but I'm not sure. Anyways, Simone was there as well and she tried to flirt with me. Mommy picked up on this and she got really jealous. If it had been for her jealousy, she would have told everyone right then and there that we were together. But before that could happen, I took her outside. She started rambling about all the things I could have with Simone, but that all didn't matter to me. Because I loved her as well. So I told her that I loved her that night. Outside the school. On a parking lot. Not really that romantic, but emotionally, it couldn't have been any better" He rambled himself, even though he wasn't aware of him doing so. It was a story that he was happy to tell. He had been really happy that night when he told her that. He had even wanted to kiss her after he told her, but he heard some students approaching, so he figured it would have been best if he didn't.

"Okay, I guess that is better" Rick muttered, because he still held his thumb in his mouth.

"Yes, it was. But I also realized that evening that we couldn't continue our relationship if I was still her teacher. So I started looking for some other jobs. Eventually, Grandpa was the one offering me a job for Hollis College" He said, looking straight into Rick's eyes, so he could see if his son knew what this meant. They grew a little before they became really small again. In other words, he had picked up on the complication.


	3. Blooming Love

**Chapter 3 Blooming Love**

"Did you tell Grandpa about you and Mommy?" He asked still wanting to know the answer to that question.

"At least not right away, but we did tell Grandpa and Grandma Fitz after this, because they wanted to know why I switched jobs already" He said trying to keep the tension that was building up in his son's head.

"How did they react?" Rick simply asked.

"They loved Mommy immediately and they were really happy for us. Even after we told them about our situation, because Grandma saw I loved Mommy more than anything in this world and that meant more to her than anything else" He said still happy about the way his own parents had reacted to the idea of them as a couple.

"Awesome! Then when did you tell Grandpa and Grandma Montgomery?" He asked, because he didn't want to wait any longer to finally hear what he wanted to know so badly.

"There were first some complications between some other people and Mommy and I, but we resolved all of those things after a little while. Someone from my past wanted to out us and of course we didn't want that to happen" He said not really sure how to describe the Jackie-situation. Jackie had been a pain in the ass the whole time. He couldn't even imagine loving her. Not even starting with the part he actually proposed to her. How could he think he could live the rest of his life with her? Fortunately he was much wiser and happier now being married to Aria.

"So what did you do to solve it?" Rick asked curiously.

"Mommy and I told your grandparents. Oh, and Uncle Mike as well" Ezra stated. How could he forget about Mike. He had been the one to punch him. Later he declared his behavior, but that didn't really change anything.

"What did they say?" Rick asked when he noticed his father had been quiet for a little while.

"Well, I had to leave the house right after I told them. A few days later, your Mommy and I weren't allowed to see each other anymore" He said still remembering those days like they had been yesterday.

"How could they do that? You love Mommy! When Mommy has her spa-weekend with my aunties, you are a wreck! Just admit it Daddy, you can't live without Mommy!" He said, speaking words like he was a wise and old man who had lots of experience with those kinds of situations. Ezra swallowed a little, because he hadn't known that it was so obvious when he missed her.

"I know, son. I know. But they were just one phone call away from ruining both your Mommy's and I's lifes. They had that kind of power over me, so I avoided contact with Mommy for quite a little while. Until I couldn't do that anymore, because I missed her too much. We started seeing each other again, which wasn't that easy, because she was basically grounded for life" Ezra chuckled a little, because that sounded so old school right now. Being grounded, that had been a long time ago. Especially for him, because he hadn't lived with his parents for over ten years.

"Grandma and Grandpa found out, didn't they?" Rick asked, probably foreseeing the next problem, because he now learned that his father had had enough problems when he was young.

"Oh, they did. Your Grandpa set me up with a job in New-Orleans, in your language, far far away. But eventually I didn't take it, because I didn't want to leave Mommy behind. That was the moment when Grandpa decided he wanted to talk about things. So we did. We had a good conversation and Mommy and I explained everything, because we never had the chance to do that" He said still remembering the four-hour conversation. It was still plastered in his mind and it would stay there forever. The talk had been awkward, because Byron interrupted them in everything. He hadn't actually let them talk, more like him making sure his opinion was clear.

"Did he decide anything?" Rick asked, not really wanting to know what happened that night and just wanting to hear the conclusion.

"Not that night. He told me that he wasn't convinced and I still wasn't allowed to see your Mother" Ezra simply replied, because there wasn't more to it.

"So there wasn't any change at all?" Rick asked, because he couldn't believe that his own Grandpa could be that cruel to his parents.

"No, there was one thing that did change. Your Mother was allowed to call and text me again, but it wasn't like we hadn't been doing that the entire time" He answered chuckling a little bit. All the flirty texts he had send all the romantic and memorable ones they had shared, because at that moment, it was all they had. Every night consisted of calling or texting Aria.

"So when did you see her again?" Rick asked, because he probably was another person that didn't believe a relationship could exist through just calling and texting and he was right.

"My birthday was three weeks later. Byron visited my office for some school stuff the day before and I asked if it would be okay if she could have dinner at my apartment. He said he would think about it, so he turned home and told Mommy about it. Mommy had been extremely excited to go, but he still refused to let her. Mommy cried all night and Grandma couldn't bare it anymore, so she gave Mommy permission to go" He said while Rick clapped in his hands in excitement. This was the beginning for things to go better, at least that is what he believed at that moment.

"Was it a good birthday?" Rick asked after he stopped clapping.

"Yes, it was indeed really good. Mommy and I ordered take-out, because my cooking skills weren't nearly as good as they are now, they were even worse" Ezra said, about to continue before Rick started laughing. The laughing didn't stop. He just kept laughing.

"What is so funny?" Ezra asked laughing a little himself, because Rick's laughter was rather contagious.

"It's not possible for you to cook even worse than your cooking is now!' Rick giggled. Ezra soon joined him in his laughter, because the little boy was right. His cooking skills were pretty bad and he was glad that Aria was an excellent cook for both his and his family's sake.

"What happened next?" Rick asked after their laughter had subsided.

"Well, I don't really know this story precisely, but Mommy must have had some special look on her face when she returned home. She slept all night long without crying. The next morning she had woken up happier than she had been in a few weeks. Her whole mood had changed again. Grandma noticed this and she knew why it had changed again. It all faded again in three or four days" Ezra said trying to summarize the things Aria had told him a few years later.

"Let me guess. Grandma decided to talk to you, but she didn't tell Grandpa. Those talks are kind of her thing, aren't they?" Rick said narrowing his eyes, so he could detect whether he was right or not. But Ezra didn't give an inch.

"Well?" He asked when Ezra still hadn't answered him.

"When did you get so smart?" Ezra asked which was the answer Rick was looking for.

"Yeah, she did visit me, because she knew I was the only one that could make her happy. Apparently, Grandpa and Grandma had set her up on a few dates, but she just returned crying even more. Every time Grandma had asked her why she didn't like her date, she answered that her date wasn't me and that she didn't want or love anyone else" He smiled, because he still couldn't believe that she already knew what she wanted at such young age. If she had wanted, she could have abandoned him and she could have moved on, but she didn't.

"What did you talk about?" Rick asked wanting to know on which side his Grandma was at that point.

"Mostly about Mommy and I. I threw my feelings for her on the table that night, so she knew I was serious about Mommy and I. She didn't believe me, so I told her that I wanted to marry your Mommy some day and have a family together. This again didn't really work for Grandma" He said resettling himself on the bed.

"So how did you convince her?" Rick asked, because he wasn't sure the whole conversation had led to anything that would help the relationship of his parents. Exactly like the talk with his Grandfather had done.

"By showing her two things. The first thing was a complete novel I wrote about Mommy and I's relationship. The second thing was an engagement ring I had bought a few months before for Mommy. When she didn't believe it was meant for her, I showed her the incravings"

"What are the incravings?" Rick asked out of curiosity.

"I love you, Aria" He simply stated.

"What did Grandma say?" He asked, because his father didn't continue from there.

"She didn't say anything anymore, but instead she gave the ring back and left my apartment with the novel. A few hours later, a crying Ella knocked on my door. She had read the whole thing and she couldn't say anything anymore. But the look on her face was enough. If it was for her, she wouldn't keep me from seeing Mommy anymore" He said smiling, because it was a whole victory for him.

"How did Grandpa react to all of this?" Rick asked, almost already knowing his Grandpa wasn't that easy. Women were far more emotional, so they could get moved with a story like this one. But real men weren't like that. At least that was what his father told him when he saw his Mommy cry while watching a movie.

"He wasn't too happy about it really, but that didn't bother Grandma and Mommy was allowed to see me again. This went on for quite a little while, until the Christmas after Mommy graduated high school. What do you think Mommy got that Christmas?" Ezra asked making it all a little game for Rick.

"I know this one! The engagement ring!" Rick said happily, because he had heard the story at least a thousand times.

"Yes, she did. Mommy had asked one thing from her parents and it was if she could spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with me. Eventually, Grandpa gave in, because he knew that Christmas is Mommy's favorite holiday. So" Ezra said already trying to continue, until Rick interrupted him.

"But Daddy, you did ask Grandpa first right? That's a tradition when you want to marry a girl! You wouldn't break any traditions, would you?" Rick asked his eyes widening, because he wouldn't believe his Daddy wouldn't stick with tradition. But he didn't believe his Daddy would have a chat with his Grandpa either.

"Of course I did. I can't say he was happy when I told him. The least from happy actually. He even used a little violence, before Grandma got home. Grandma was overjoyed when she found out what I was about to do. It's ridiculous how many hugs and kisses on my cheek I got that afternoon from her, not from Mommy, but from Grandma" He said chuckling a little, because he saw the look on Rick's face. Rick knew exactly what he meant. These were his Grandma's bounding times. Honestly, he'd rather delete from his mind.

"So how did you ask Mommy?" Rick asked after he had his mind set on the story again.

"Well, I made sure it was the last present under my tree. Candles were lit. Mommy's favorite food on the table. Our favorite songs in the background. Mommy cuddled up with me. Everything was perfect. So I moved away from her a little and gave a little speech. By the end of it, Mommy was already in tears, because she knew what would come. I popped the question and I don't think she actually answered me" Ezra said smiling broadly, thinking back at one of the most magical and enchanting nights of his life.

"I don't understand" Rick said, because he didn't get the hint.

"Mommy just threw her arms around me and kissed me" He said blushing a little bit, because it was quite awkward to talk with his son about these kinds of things.

"Oh" Rick just answered, because he didn't really get what was so nice about that. Just like Grandma, Mommy loved to cuddle or kiss both sides of his cheeks until they were practically glowing.


	4. Accepted Love

**Chapter 4 Accepted Love**

"Mommy and I got married the summer after. It was one of the most wonderful days of my life. Grandpa attended the wedding as well, but he still wasn't happy for us" He said unfortunate.

"So when did he approve of you?" Rick asked trying to get ahead in time. He always wanted to know how the story ended even before someone started telling it. Afterwards he always found out that it wasn't as excited anymore when you knew what would happen.

"I'm not going to tell that yet" Ezra said with a little goofy smile on his face.

"But Daddy" Rick whined trying to make up some excuse, but he already knew it wasn't going to work this time.

"No, you'll just have to wait" He answered.

"Okay, so what happened after the wedding?" His son asked instead, because the sooner they would get through that stuff, he would know the whole story.

"A few months later, Mommy and I found out she was pregnant with you. Let's just say, Grandpa was really upset about that. Being married was one thing, but having a child together was really another. We could both understand where he was coming from, because Mommy was still in college then. So I tutored her every day after school" He said trying to control his laughter.

"Did that actually work? I mean, when you and Mommy cook together it doesn't really work out either" Rick said probably thinking back to the dinner he had had yesterday. Let's say it ended up with them ordering some Chinese take-out instead.

"Well, sometimes it did. But those were really rare, for example when Mommy really didn't understand anything of it. But most of the times we used it as an excuse to see each other" He confessed. He was surprised by the fact how well he knew his parents.

"But Daddy, don't live married couples together?" He asked confusingly, probably because he had taught it at school at some point.

"Yes, they do. But Grandpa wanted her to live at home as an exchange for her to marry me. Obviously, I agreed. He told me that when he was okay with us together, he would overthink her living situation" He told his son, before he saw a small gape escape his son's mouth.

"Tired, little man?" He asked before he yawned himself.

"No, definitely not! Just tell the story. When did he overthink Mommy's living situation?" Rick asked instead.

"You're going way ahead of yourself" Ezra answered with a smile.

"You shouldn't stop telling the story then" He said trying to find a right explanation for his behavior.

"Okay, you're right. Mommy and I decided you would live with me, because we could avoid Grandpa easier that way. Plus, Mommy was mostly at my place until really late anyways. So we bought some stuff for you together. Like a crib, some clothes and all the other baby stuff. Mommy looked so happy buying all these things. The glow on her face, it looked so beautiful on her" He said smiling at the many memories he had from when she was still pregnant with their first child.

"Just like she has now?" Rick asked, reminding his father again about his new little brother or sister. Rick was beyond excited to finally have a sibling. He had helped with painting the nursery, so he could be a really good bigger brother for his new sibling. Rick really wanted to be the perfect brother, a brother his sibling would be proud of and looked up to. It was cute to see him this excited about having a sibling, because Aria and Ezra hadn't been sure if he actually wanted one. He had been the only child in the house for such a long time, they thought it would need some time to get used to for him. But he was almost even more excited than they were. If that was even possible.

"Exactly like that" He said clarifying the things he remembered.

"So what happened the day I was born?" Rick asked with a happy smile on his face.

"Mommy was once again with me. We were in our favorite bookshop, until she called really loudly for me. In a second, I knew what was happening, so I picked her up and I buckled her in my car. Mommy and I had decided beforehand, we didn't want either of our parents to be at the hospital with us"

"Why didn't you?" Rick asked curiously, because he didn't really get the point.

"Mommy and I wanted that moment to be ours" He said before Rick nodded his head.

"How was it?" Rick asked, probably because he had drifted to his thoughts again.

"It was really hard to see your Mommy in so much pain, but when you were finally there. I don't even think I can describe that moment. After you were washed a little, I climbed in the bed with Mommy and you were in our arms. The picture in the living room was taken that moment" He said signaling with his hands to the living room, even though it was down stairs. He had these weird habits of using his hands when they didn't make any sense at all.

"How did the new Grandparents react when they arrived at the hospital?" Rick asked after he had probably thought about the picture for a little while.

"Well, my parents arrived first. They loved you the second they saw you. They understood why we had called them after you were born. When they were about to leave, Mommy's parents arrived" Ezra said stopping there for a little while.

"Go on!" Rick said enthusiastically, because he wanted to know what happened. This had been the moment his Grandparents had met him first.

"First they stormed into the room, quite angry. They definitely weren't happy about the way we had dealt with the situation. Mommy started crying and just before I could comfort her, you started crying as well. I don't think they even noticed you until then" He said looking at Rick to see his response. He knew this wasn't the way he wanted to be first introduced to his Grandparents, but there wasn't more to it.

"How couldn't they have noticed me, they were coming there for me!" Rick said a little bit taken aback by these new facts.

"Actually, I'm really happy that happened" Ezra simply stated towards his son.

"How could you be happy about that? That was the first time they saw me and they were yelling at you and Mommy! I will never forgive them for this" Rick practically yelled by the end of his last sentence. He folded his arms over one another and put on his angry face.

"Something really weird snapped in Grandpa's head. He took you in his arms and he immediately fell in love with you. That was the moment he accepted Mommy and I, when he held you in his arms for the very first time" Ezra said, squeezing Rick's arm a little. Rick couldn't help but smile.

"What did he say?" Rick asked now, because he was really proud about the fact he was the reason his Grandpa accepted his parents. His body language said it all. His arms unfolded and his eyes shone bright again. Just like they did when they talked about his new sibling.

"He said that he had never thought something as beautiful as you could come from Mommy and I. A few minutes later he added that he wanted us to live together, as a real family while you were still in his arms. The next day, I took Mommy and you to our new home" Ezra said happily.

"How long did we live at the apartment?" Rick asked almost as if he wanted to remember the apartment, but he couldn't.

"We never did. A week before you were born, I bought a new home for Mommy and you. This home" He added before he finished his sentence.

"So you and Grandpa are best buddies since the day I was born?" Rick asked, because that was probably still something he wanted to figure out.

"Well, best buddies isn't really the word combination I would have used, but you could say it like that if you want to" He laughed a little, because he would never describe his relationship with his father-in-law as best buddies. There had been some struggles in the beginning, but Ezra knew that deep down inside, Byron had always liked him. He had taken care of their daughter when they couldn't and that was something he would be grateful for.

"If Grandpa was so happy about me, why don't I have like three siblings?" Rick asked, because it was probably another thing he didn't really get.

"Mommy and I decided it was more important for her to finish college and get a job. We were and still are really happy with you. But on the longer road, we want you to have a sibling as much as we would love another child around" He said stating some facts.

"So in how many months will I have a brother or sister?" He asked excitedly. The question came around every single day, so he probably knew the answer by heart. This didn't stop him from asking the question as many times as he could.

"Four really long months, my son" He said brushing his hand through his son's hair. Afterwards, he stood up from the bed and walked to the door.

"Daddy, can I ask you one more thing?" Rick asked before he could switch the light off.

"Of course" He simply replied.

"What do I talk about with Sara tomorrow?" His son asked blushing slightly before holding his plush penguin closer to him.

"Just talk about the project. Tell her what you want to create, but listen to her ideas as well. Work together and try to make things fit for the both of you. You can ask her to play here after school if you want" Ezra suggested, trying to give his son some good advice.

"I don't think I dare" He said before sinking in his beddings a little further.

"I thought you were a real man after our long talk" Ezra said trying to sound offended.

"Right. I need to be a real man and show Sara I really like her" He said replacing his head on his pillow.

"That's the spirit" He said before turning off the light.

"Goodnight Daddy, thank you for telling me the story" He said with a sleepy voice and Ezra knew it wouldn't take long before sleep took over him. He closed the door and he wanted to walk downstairs, so he could see if Aria was home already. But before he had the opportunity, her lips attacked his. She tangled her arms around his neck and his arms found her waist. The kiss felt loving and passionate against his lips. Her kisses would always be different, but every single time a little bit better.

"That was the most beautiful bedtime story I have ever heard" Aria said after she leaned away from him a little. Their arms were still around one another and she played with the short hair in his neck.

"How long have you been standing there?" He asked with a smile before wrapping his arms around her.

"Long enough to hear all about Sara and another really familiar story" She giggled a little, but he lifted a finger to her mouth to keep her quiet, so Rick wouldn't hear.

"What about that familiar story?" He asked after a little while.

"It's only the most beautiful story ever, because it all let up to this. To us having a little family together. Soon to be little bigger" She said smiling before he leaned down and kissed her belly.

"I know, my darling. I know" He said before he lifted her up and carried her to their bedroom.


	5. Sweet Love

**Chapter 5 Sweet Love**

_Next day_

"How was your day, sweetie?" Aria asked when she picked Rick up from school like she always did when she didn't have classes in the afternoon. Otherwise he would be picked up by Ezra or one of his Grandparents.

"Really good. We had to work on this project, but Sara and I couldn't continue our project at school. It's due tomorrow" Rick said matter-of-factly.

"So when will you finish your assignment?" She asked not really understanding what he was trying to say. He had those days, he would say something, but meant something totally different. Almost like he expected for you to read underneath the lines.

"Daddy said it would be okay if Sara came over after school. Is that okay with you as well?" He asked pleading. She hadn't told him that she had been listening last night and she wasn't planning on doing so either. If he wanted to tell her, he would do so when he was ready.

"Of course, that is, if it is okay for her parents as well" She simply said after acting like thinking for a little while. Playing around with her son like that was fun for her. Sometimes he saw right through her acts, but other times he actually bought them. He would lean a little bit closer towards her to see if she was telling the truth. The look on his face when he inspected her was sometimes enough to burst out laughing uncontrollably.

"Sure, I'll go get her" He said before walking away from her. His steps were really small, smaller than usual. It meant that he was nervous. Aria desperately wanted to meet the girl her young son had fallen in love with. Rick had talked so highly of her last night. Even though she couldn't see his face, she could imagine how it had looked like. A little blush evident with a goofy smirk. This look had to be Ezra's, because it wasn't one the Montgomery's shared.

"Can we go now, Mommy?" Rick asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. Beside Rick was a little girl with two long braids beside her face. Her blue flowery dress made her eyes shine even brighter. Aria could see why her son liked this girl, because the girl looked adorable.

"Yeah, come on you two" She said padding Rick's back lightly. Leading them to the car, she grabbed the keys from out of her purse. It was a short drive home, but she had come directly from work. As soon as they arrived home, Rick jumped out of the car. He immediately walked around the car to open the door for Sara. The true gentleman. She had never expected this from her son. Especially not at a young age like this. Where had he learned such enchanting manners? Right. Ezra was one true romantic when it came to those things. At their fifth anniversary, he had decorated the whole house with vanilla scented candles and roses. Rick had learned from the master.

"Thank you" Sara said blushing a little bit. This was Aria's cue to walk to the front door and open it. When she looked around she saw Rick take Sara's hand to give her a tour around the house. Aria decided to give them some space. She had some grading to do anyways. After she collected the different papers on the kitchen table, she poured herself a cup of coffee and started grading. After forty-five minutes, she felt a pair of eyes on her.

"What's up?" She asked before she even noticed who she was talking to. Rick stood with his head against the door. His position meant he wanted something from her, but he was too afraid to ask. Eventually he would tell her and for some reason she always gave into him.

"Nothing" He said blushing a little bit, picking at his fingernails.

"I know there's something, you can tell me" She answered, keeping her eyes on the paper again.

"No, there's really nothing" He said walking a little bit closer to her like she could see out of the corner of her eyes.

"Where's Sara?" She asked realizing she missed the little girl who was currently somewhere alone in the house.

"Just using the bathroom" He simply answered, taking a seat at the kitchen table.

"I guess you don't have to help her with that" She answered chuckling a little.

"Well, Daddy clearly had to when he kissed you for the first time" He said covering his mouth after he said it. His eyes widened when he looked at her. It simply slipped out of his mouth.

"What are you talking about?" She said trying to answer like she would have if she hadn't eavesdropped on Rick and Ezra's conversation last night.

"I, uh, I really have no idea" He tried, but Aria just continued to look at him questionably.

"Really?" She asked trying to make it even harder for him to talk himself out of this position.

"I think" He simply answered after he thought for a little while, she was about to answer him again with some complicating remark, but a familiar little girl stepped into the room.

"Have you asked her yet?" Sara asked looking at Rick with sparks evident in her eyes.

"Have you asked me what?" Aria asked looking at Rick as well. Sara quickly took a seat next to Rick and played a little with her braids.

"I told you that our project wasn't quite finished, right? Well, Sara and I both learned from our parents about loving and respecting others. We drew a big red heart, but Miss Jenny thought it would be better if we put that love into some baking. Do you think it would be okay for us to bake some cookies?" He asked after his short rant.

"Grading isn't that much fun anyways, so I guess we could make it work" Aria answered with a smile.

Thirty minutes later, they were still packed in their kitchen, trying to put the cookie dough into the cookie forms. There were lots of different ones like stars, rockets, simple round ones and even one big heart.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Aria asked handing the spoon with the dough to Sara. The little girl had been adorable the whole afternoon. Giggling, smiling and glancing at Rick. It was the cutest thing she had ever seen, her little boy with a girl like her.

"Mommy said she would pick me up at six" She replied probably not sure at what time they usually ate their dinner. It wasn't like they had an actual time planned for dinner. Most of the times, Ezra or her had to work late, so they ate quite late, but today Ezra would be home early.

"That's just enough time for you to finish your meal" Aria explained to the girl. She was trying her best to concentrate on the cookies, but that wasn't that easy with Rick beside her. He was watching her every move. Like he had to be sure she did everything right. She finished the last cookie in no time, before the two children put the oven plate in the oven together.

"Now, first wash your hands before touching anything else" Aria demanded the two children after making sure she had the right temperature for the cookies, because it wouldn't be the first time for them to get burned.

"Like this?" Sara asked before touching Rick's nose with her dough covered pointer finger. His eyes grew wide and neither one in the room was sure how he would react. But he simply chuckled and put his hands on both sides of her cheeks.

"You're going down" She stated with a really serious face before chasing after the already running Rick. So much for listening to his mother. This meant cleaning the house tomorrow morning. How much she loved that. She heard the two children laughing and running all around the house. It was nice for Rick to have someone else around the house. Soon he would have a sibling to play with as well.


	6. Cookie Love

**Chapter 6 Cookie Love**

"Everything under control?" Ezra asked when he entered the kitchen, coming closer to his wife. His arms found their way around her waist as he left a light and sweet kiss on her lips.

"I'm not sure" She giggled before wrapping her arms around his neck. Her hands soon found his cheeks, before she kissed her husband once more. If Ezra hadn't pulled away from her a little, she hadn't noticed the cookie dough traces on his face as well. She hadn't even listened to her own demand. Rick and Sara choose this moment to come back into the room.

"Daddy, you have some cookie dough on your cheek" Rick noticed while chuckling a little. Sara soon joined him and Aria couldn't help but smile herself.

"You should see your own face, buddy. When Sara's Mommy sees her, she might never be allowed to play here again" Ezra said before splashing some water into his face. The dough remained on his face though, which gave an annoyed groan from him.

"Come here" Aria said while she grabbed a towel from the counter and rubbed the dough off of his cheeks. When she was done, she used the towel to clean up her own hands.

"What about us?" Rick asked when his mother didn't clean Sara and his cheeks up.

"You are way too dirty to be cleaned up with just a towel. What you need is a shower" She answered laughing a little bit. His clothes would probably need two times in the washing machine, because they were a complete mess.

"But what about Sara?" Rick asked totally concerned about his little love at this point.

"I think it would be a good idea to call her Mommy and ask her to pick her up. If she is still allowed to come another time, we can always reschedule that dinner" Aria answered motioning for Ezra to already walk towards their phonebook to find Sara's phone number.

"Only on one condition" Rick said trying to manipulate the whole situation again like he always did. Everything had to go his way, because to him, there wasn't any way else.

"Let's hear it out" Ezra comforted Aria when he saw her eyes roll like she always did when she heard something familiar to this.

"Daddy, can I talk to you for a second?" Rick asked walking towards his daddy and leaving the room together. Aria had a pretty good idea what the conversation would be about, but she wasn't sure what he wanted.

"Mrs. Fitz?" Sara asked with her soft doll-like voice.

"Please just call me Aria" Aria responded when she felt too old to be called like that by a girl as young as Sara.

"Okay. Does Rick love me like you love Mr. Fitz?" She asked blushing a little bit. Her eyes darted away from Aria's face and she just stared at her feet, waiting for her response. The only problem was that she didn't know how to respond. Should she or shouldn't she tell Rick's little secret? When she was about to answer the little girl, her favorite men marched into the kitchen again.

"What did you two talk about?" She asked instead when neither of them were sharing any of the information she so desperately wanted to hear.

"It's a secret" Rick simply answered before walking towards Sara. The little girl stood right beside the oven, watching the cookies closely instead of her feet now.

"How long do the cookies still need?" Ezra asked walking towards their kitchen island before he rested his arms on them. He looked at Aria in that goofy way again, the one look that would never fade off of his face.

"Possibly a minute or ten?" She asked herself out loud, but the answer was accurate enough for Ezra. He nodded slowly, before walking towards his son and padding a hand through his hair.

"Do you want me to call Sara's mother or will you do it yourself?" Aria asked Rick after Ezra had left the room. He probably wanted to get some grading done before dinner was served. Plus, he still fancied watching movies with her all night while Rick already slept upstairs. He had more time for her this way and she couldn't say she was complaining.

"It's okay. We can do it" Rick said before leaving the room as well with Sara closely behind him. This only left Aria in the kitchen and she figured it might be good for her to kill some time cooking. She had some chicken planned for tonight which was Rick's favorite. In the other room, she could hear the conversation with Sara's mother. The two children still sounded delighted after they hung up the phone, so Aria figured it went well. There was also still the chance they didn't exactly tell her about their clothes. They had talked together on the phone, which was the cutest thing ever to Aria.

"Sara's mom will be here in fifteen minutes" Rick announced while marching back into the family kitchen. Before Aria could say something in return, Rick had opened the refrigerator and poured some milk for Sara and himself in two red mugs. After Rick had taken a sip, there was a small moustache of milk evident on his lip. It looked really adorable.

"There's some milk on your face" She said while she pointed to her own upper lip, so Rick could remove the milk from his face. Just before he could reach there with his hand, Sara had already wiped it off of his face.

"Thank you, Sara" He said looking her straight in the eyes. They shot shy smiles at each other and kept their eyes locked together. In the meanwhile, Aria started to concentrate on her chicken again and the salad she had planned to make. When Aria was cooking, time flew by and before she knew it, the front door bell rang.

"I'll get it" Rick said hastily, before running out of the kitchen. Sara was very closely behind him even though she wasn't as fast as he was. Aria could hear Sara's mom laugh and Rick told her to come in.

"What happened to those two?" Sara's mom asked after they exchanged their welcomes.

"I guess they were really driven in baking?" Aria stated even though it sounded more like a question. Another laugh escaped Sara's mother's lips and Aria couldn't help but chuckle herself.

"Speaking of baking, the cookies are done" She suddenly remembered and she took her cooking gloves out of the cabinet. She quickly opened the oven and the delicious smell of cookies filled her nose. The smell was clearly so strong that the two children and Ezra marched into the room a few seconds later.

"This smells so good" Ezra stated before he inhaled the smell a little deeper. Rick quickly made his way to Ezra and they started conversing as quietly as possible. After a little while, everyone else in the room was quiet and stared at the two men. Their conversation ended with a nod from Ezra and Rick grabbed a cookie from the warm oven plate. The cookie in his left hand and something else muffled in his right one, he ran out of the room and told Sara to wait until he came back. Aria exchanged a questionable look with Ezra, but he just kept smirking like an idiot.

"Let's just grab your coat and shoes already" Sara's mom suggested, because she had no idea what else she could do after they had already waited five minutes. Ezra was kind enough to lead them to the coat rack and showed them where they placed their shoes. Aria on the other hand, decided to pay a visit to Rick, that is, if she could figure out where he was. She made her way upstairs, because she was pretty sure she had heard his footsteps on the steps. His room was her first guess and the light that left the room proved her right.

"What are you up to?" She asked not even bothering knocking on his door. Rick obviously hadn't heard her and was surprised to hear his mother's voice. He tried to cover his plan, but Aria was faster. The heart-shaped cookie lay on see-through plastic, Rick had tried to tie the plastic together with a pink ribbon, but he had obviously failed. He shot her a shy smile and Aria knew what he wanted.

"Do you need some help with that?" She asked and Rick simply nodded. Aria quickly tied the ribbon in a perfect bow and added the little letter Rick had written to his package.

"Would this do?" She asked when she showed him the final piece.

"She will love it" Rick stated before he took the cookie from his mother and left the room. Aria soon followed his way down the stairs into the hall. Sara and her mother were still there and Ezra leaned against the door frame.

"This is for you" Rick simply said. His cheeks turned red and he didn't dare to look in her eyes. He handed her the cookie and she smiled broadly. Her eyes sparkled and her braids flew lively. Rick was about to turn and walk away, all because of his shyness, until Sara kissed his left cheek.

"Thank you" She said before taking her mother's hand and leaving the Fitz's house.


	7. Family Love

**Chapter 7 Family Love**

"Do I spy a little blush there?" Ezra asked his son teasingly. They all walked into the kitchen, because their dinner was about to be served. Aria took her place behind the kitchen counter and finished some finishing touches on her salad.

"No!" Rick immediately shot back. This only delivered some laughs from his parents. The little boy looked so cute with his little blush and his head in the clouds. His head rested in his hands and he stared vaguely ahead of him. Ezra made his way towards his wife and wrapped his arms around her. He planted a few kisses on her shoulder, before he moved her hair away from her ear.

"I remember myself sitting like that on a chair in my old apartment' living room after I first met you" Ezra whispered in Aria's ear. This was a small little detail she had never known. That same night she had laid on her bed and scribbled away in her diary about her new dreamy boy.

"Oh, really" She simply said, teasing him a little.

"Yeah, you had me wrapped around your magical finger" He said still whispering not even trying to hide his feelings for her. He spun her around and gave her a quick but loving kiss.

"Well, I hope these magic fingers of mine could make us a delicious dinner as well" She said leaning back a little before she touched his nose with her finger lightly. Dinner was served in a matter of a few minutes and they all enjoyed their meal. They conversed about their day and mainly about Sara. Even though Rick was a shy boy around her, he was a big talker when it was just around his parents. After their dinner, Aria cleaned the dishes with Rick and Ezra finished his grading. Aria and Rick soon found a place to settle in their big family living room in front of the fireplace. There were a few books sprawled in front of them and one of them was in Aria's hands. She read Rick every single evening a story and most of the times, Ezra would watch the two of them interacting together. This time wasn't any different.

"I have finally finished every single paper" Ezra announced while he walked into their living room.

"That's great, honey. Would you like to join us?" Aria asked before she continued reading to Rick. Ezra found his place behind Aria and her back soon rested against his chest. His arms found their way around her while she still continued reading to Rick. Her voice sounded soft and gentle, just like those of the teachers in kindergarten.

"Can you read it again?" Rick asked after Aria finished reading the story. It was almost his bedtime, so she decided against it and shook her head.

"No, not anymore. It's time for you to go to sleep. Would you like some hot chocolate first?" She asked rushing her fingers through her son's hair, making it look like a complete mess. Ezra concentrated on her hair, gliding his fingers through it. He pulled her hair to own side and started kissing her bare shoulder, lingering the kisses here and there.

"Ezra" She whispered to him in a fake angry voice. It wasn't that she didn't like his kisses, it was just better to save them for when Rick was upstairs sleeping.

"Yeah, some hot chocolate would do, but I do want marshmallows in them" He said, jumping up and already running towards their family kitchen. Aria unwrapped herself from Ezra's strong, comfortable and loving arms and stood up as well.

"Do you want some?" She asked smiling broadly at him. He was really the laziest person on earth. His food was served for him every single evening. Not that he could cook on his own. When she wasn't at home to cook, Ezra and Rick always end up ordering take-out. Their house was always clean, thanks again to Aria. But she didn't mind any of these things.

"Of course, my darling" He said before taking her hand and leaving a butterfly kiss on it.

"Mommy, are you coming?" Rick yelled from out of the kitchen. He was never one to be patient. This had to be one of the many qualities Ezra had given him. Well, quality isn't the best way to describe it. Let's go with unfortunate habits or at least that was what it was for her.

"I'll be there in a sec" She said while walking towards her impatient little boy. Their hot chocolate was ready in no time and Aria had to remind both of her men to wait until it wasn't as warm anymore.

"But I want to drink it right now, Mommy. The marshmallows look so delicious" Rick said eagerly. Their it was again, the impatience. She settled herself again in Ezra's arms and made sure she didn't spill all of her hot chocolate over Ezra's white button down.

"Just wait another minute" She said before blowing her own hot chocolate. Rick used this time to grab a cookie from the plate in the kitchen. This had to be his third today, but she wasn't going to whine about that. She wanted to cherish moments like these, because she knew Rick would grow up fast and wouldn't want to sit with his parents by the fireplace, waiting to be able to drink his hot chocolate.

"Mommy, do you know why these cookies taste so good?" Rick asked after he ate the cookie. There were still some cookie crumbs around his mouth, but she figured they would disappear when he put his cup to his mouth.

"No, why would that be?" She asked trying hard to find an answer, but she didn't have any. They had taken the same recipe they normally took, so there shouldn't be any reason for the cookies to taste better.

"Because they are made with love" He said with a little sparkle in his eye. A chuckle escaped Ezra's mouth from behind her and she couldn't help but smile herself.

"You really shouldn't spend so much time with your Daddy" Aria smiled while she playfully slapped Ezra on his right shoulder.

"And why is that, if I may ask?" Ezra asked her teasingly.

"You're such an old and romantic soul" She said pecking his lips lovingly before turning to her hot chocolate again. Rick hadn't paid much attention to their parent's interaction, he simply drank his hot chocolate and ate his cookie. The little family talked for a little while about their favorite books and places they should visit some time.

"Did I just see you yawn?" Ezra asked his son who tried to think of something that looked like yawning, but he couldn't come up with anything that resembled the action fast enough.

"Uh, no" He said, but he was already too late. Ezra let go of Aria and quickly picked his son up, so he couldn't go anywhere anymore. The little child laughed and screamed out of pleasure. Following them upstairs, Aria picked up their cups and took them with her. Rick had given in to Ezra and was brushing his teeth now. This had never went so smoothly. Usually he whined about having to get into bed too early, but she hadn't heard any word of it so far.

A few minutes Rick was in his bed, wearing his favorite pajama's. Both of his parents sat on his bed, either one on another side.

"Mommy, did you like Sara as much as Daddy and I?" Rick asked when he was completely settled the way he wanted it to.

"She's a really lovely girl" She answered smiling broadly to her son, who smiled himself like he had never smiled before.

"She kissed me" He whispered softly, but just loud enough for his parents to hear. He touched his cheek with his hand, the very place were Sara's lips had touched his skin. Ezra threw Aria an amused look and Aria chuckled as a reply. Rick didn't even notice this, but kept on staring into the distance.

"I think she will taste the love in your cookie as well" Ezra stated before ruffling his hands through his son's hair.

"Do you think so?" He asked with the biggest and brightest eyes ever shown on him.

"Absolutely" Ezra answered, much to Rick's amusement.

"What should my next move be?" Rick asked more to Ezra than to Aria, but that didn't bother her at all. Ezra knew exactly how to handle these sorts of situations, because he was Hardy's best friend after all.

"You could ask her about the cookie tomorrow at school. Or if she enjoyed playing with you yesterday. Maybe you could even ask her to play here this weekend?" Ezra suggested looking at Aria's direction for her approval. She simply nodded, because she would be glad to have her again.

"I will totally do that!" Rick practically yelled after he thought Ezra's suggestions through.

"So now you will be able to have very sweet dreams?" Aria asked her son, who kept smiling like a freak, but his smile still affected her. It brought her joy to see her son this happy. That was all she wanted, for her loved ones to be happy.

"Yeah, I will" He said still smiling, but already closing his eyes, slowly. This afternoon had probably made him tired. Aria leaned in to kiss his cheeks, but Rick moved to one side. Apparently, his eyes had still remained open enough for his to see her.

"Only this side, Sara kissed this cheek" He said moving a little closer to his mother for her to kiss his cheek and so she did. As Ezra did the same, they stood up and walked out of his room. His eyes were fully closed by now.

"Goodnight, buddy. Have fun playing with Sara tomorrow" Ezra said. They all mumbled an 'I love you' before Ezra closed the door. Aria and Ezra settled on the couch downstairs and watched a movie together. Soon enough, the movie wasn't interesting anymore as they found each other's lips. Their kisses were loving yet passionate, like they always were. But they were never boring. They would never get enough of each other's kisses.

"Do you think Rick will be as happily married as I am right now, someday?" Ezra asked when they really needed some air to breathe.

"Mini's so much like you, I wouldn't be surprised" She said before tackling his lips once again.

**This was the very last chapter, but there will still be an epilogue. This will be set after the baby is born and I'm already excited to write it! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Let me know! For those who read Taken Away as well, I will probably upload the next chapter tonight or tomorrow! (:**


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